Can or can’t manage: 得了 and 不了
了 read liǎo works as a potential complement meaning “manage”. 来不了 is “can’t make it”, 吃不了 “can’t eat that much”, 受不了 “can’t stand it”. It speaks of circumstance and capacity, not permission.
Structure
动词 + 得了（liǎo）／不了（liǎo） ｜ 受不了、来不了、吃不了
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
， “There’s too much food — the two of us can’t finish it.” The potential complement inserts or between a verb and its result. Most results are specific — , — but , pronounced liǎo, is a general-purpose result meaning “get it done, manage it”. + says the action is possible; + says it is not.
Three uses cover most of what the HSK 4 paper prints. Inability to take part: ， “I’ve got something on tomorrow, so I can’t come.” Capacity: ，？ “Can you carry all this on your own?” And tolerance, in the fixed verb : ， “I really can’t stand this heat.”
Note the difference from simple negation. means the speaker has decided not to come; means circumstances prevent it. A good answer to an invitation is usually the second.
is about what is possible, not what is allowed. A rule against smoking is , not . And because (liǎo) is already the complement, it does not stack with another one: or , never . When the sentence also marks a change, a second (le) can follow: .
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
菜太多了，我们两个人吃不了。菜太多了，我們兩個人吃不了。
Cài (fourth tone, falling) tài (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) le, (neutral tone) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) chī (first tone, high and level) bu (neutral tone) liǎo. (third tone, dipping)···
There’s too much food — the two of us can’t finish it.
明天我有事，来不了了。明天我有事，來不了了。
Míngtiān (second tone, rising) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shì, (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) bu (neutral tone) liǎo (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone)···
I’ve got something on tomorrow, so I can’t come.
这么热的天气，我真受不了。這麼熱的天氣，我真受不了。
Zhème (fourth tone, falling) rè (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) tiānqì, (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhēn (first tone, high and level) shòu (fourth tone, falling) bu (neutral tone) liǎo. (third tone, dipping)···
I really can’t stand this heat.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 明天我不来得了。
Correct
Correct sentence: 明天我来不了。
Why: The negative potential form puts 不 between the verb and 了: 来不了. 不来得了 is not a form.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 图书馆里抽不了烟。
Correct
Correct sentence: 图书馆里不能抽烟。
Why: 不了 says something cannot be managed. A rule that forbids something takes 不能.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 这个行李箱太重了，我拿不了起来。
Correct
Correct sentence: 这个行李箱太重了，我拿不起来。
Why: 了 (liǎo) is itself the complement, so it cannot be stacked with 起来. Choose one: 拿不起来 or 拿不了.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
Ordinary potential complements name the specific result that can or cannot be reached: 看不懂 “can’t understand”, 吃不完 “can’t finish”, 听不见 “can’t hear”. 不了 is the general-purpose version: it says only that the action cannot be carried through. Often both are possible with a different focus — 吃不完 stresses that some food would be left, 吃不了 that the amount is beyond us. Where no specific result fits, as with 来, 去 or 受, 不了 is the form to use.
Potential complements: 看得懂 / 看不懂 →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Which sentence means “I can’t make it tomorrow” (something prevents me)?